"If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write things worth reading or do things worth writing."
—Benjamin Franklin

Friday, September 21, 2012

Not Just Sharp

Being the father of four, I have my fair share of boxes to open, empty, and break down. Between diapers, wipes, snacks, etc. there are always bits and pieces of cardboard floating around and I'm always looking for knife work opportunities.

This morning it was time to pull out my S35VN Spyderco Para-Military 2 for box duty and I got to thinking about what it is that makes me really like this design. It's not just that the knife gets and stays sharp, it's precise.

I mentioned this a long time ago on the Delica 4. Having a knife that will go where you want it and cut what you want while avoiding what you don't is a big deal.

I could've probably broken down the boxes with a machete or sharpened prybar but I could have cut up the baby wipes inside the box or managed to cut myself on the follow-through. Instead I have a knife that moves expectedly and precisely and gets the job done quickly.

My kitchen knives are the same way. It's not just sharpness that matters. Precision prevents damaged food and fingers (both of which are VERY important to me.) :)

Some of the precision surely comes from familiarity with the blades but some must also come from solid design on the part of the manufacturer because I've used knives that weren't precise or just didn't handle well for one reason or another and simply got tossed into a box, given away, or in the worst case scenario, THROWN away because I felt they were impractical and potentially dangerous.

And with that, baby nap time is over and I'm off to take care of daddy business once again...